Archive: Championships’ Rules 2006

The rules have been revised by the BGA council for 2006. They will apply to the 2006 and all subsequent championships
(until amended), and supersede all previous versions.

This set of rules refers to the following championships:

the British Go Championship;

the British Pair Go Championship;

the British Youth Championships.

There is no British Women’s Championship as the BGA believes that men and
women should be able to play Go on an equal footing. However the BGA awards
British women Women’s World Amateur Qualification ("WWAQ") points based on their
performance in the British Open. These points are used as a guide when selecting
women for places in international women’s tournaments.

appointing Organisers for the three stages of the British Championship
(Candidates’ Tournament, Challengers’ League and Title Match);

appointing Organisers for the British Pair Go Championship;

appointing Organisers for the British Youth Championships;

appointing suitable Referees for each of the above events;

publicity and practical arrangements not otherwise delegated to
Organisers;

arranging suitable internet broadcasting of and commentary on the Title Match games;

reporting progress on the above to the BGA Council.

The Championships’ Organiser may undertake any of the above roles
themselves, subject to making adequate arrangements to prevent any conflict
of interest in events in which they may be likely to participate.

The Championship's Organiser may delegate any or all of these duties and
responsibilities to the relevant Event Organiser.

If this position is vacant the BGA Council will be responsible for
undertaking these duties.

All events will be publicised in advance by the BGA newsletter and on the BGA
web site, and will include details of time and place, entry fees, contact details
for the Event Organiser and a closing date for entry.

It is the responsibility of the qualified players to determine their eligibility for entry
to the Candidates’ Tournament and the Challengers’ League.

The BGA Council will impose sanctions as seem appropriate in subsequent years
on those withdrawing late and without good reason from either of these
events.

If members believe they are qualified for an event but are unsure, they should contact
the Championships’ Organiser.

The Championships’ Organiser should appoint a suitable Referee for each
Championship event (in the case of the British Championship Title Match the
appointment may be for a single game). Referees are appointed subject to the
approval by the BGA Council and the Organiser of that event. Normally approval
will not be given to a Referee who is also a participant to avoid any conflict
of interest.

The duties of the Referee shall be to interpret the rules of Go and the rules
laid down for each competition, and to ensure that these rules are adhered to.
The powers of the Referee will include the power to determine the results of
games in case of dispute, and to impose any penalty including disqualification
of one or both players if this is considered appropriate, for example because of
unsporting behaviour. The specific duties of the Referee for each Event are
covered in the relevant sections below.

An appeal may be made to the BGA Council, which reserves the right to act as
it sees fit in any given case.

BGA championships are played under a version of the Japanese rules of
Go as revised by the Nihon
Ki-in and Kansai Ki-in in
1989. These may be found in the Go Player’s Almanac. However, with reference to
Article 9.3 of those rules on the end of the game, the BGA Council makes the
comment that restarting the game has never been the custom in the UK; and
stipulates that all requests to restart the game after both players have passed
be made only through the Event Organiser or Referee. Games which would be
annulled under the Japanese rules are treated as jigo in championships other than
the British Championship Title Match and Challengers’ League play-off, where
they must be replayed.

Games which are not sudden death are played with Canadian
(clock-resetting) overtime: a player whose flag drops has their clock
reset to a specified number of minutes and counts out the specified number of
stones to be played in that time; when the stones have been played, the player’s
clock is reset once more and a further set of stones counted out.

Both players’ clocks should be stopped while clocks are reset and stones
counted out. A player whose opponent is about to enter overtime should not
stray from the board, and should point out the dropping of an opponent’s
flag.

A player who passes during overtime should return one stone to their bowl in so
doing. When a player plays their last stone they must press the clock without their
flag falling. A player whose flag falls in overtime has lost. Both players
should endeavour to point out that a flag has fallen regardless of which
player’s flag has fallen. If a player points out that their opponent’s flag has
fallen during overtime, they have won even if both flags have fallen. Other persons
should not point out to the players that a flag has fallen. The Referee may intervene if they
believe the overtime rules are not being properly observed.

It is open to the Event Organiser to instruct players to stop their clocks in
the case of an unusual event or emergency. Unless the Event Organiser specifies
otherwise, players may not stop their clocks themselves during a game except to set
the clock for overtime, to call for the referee or to repair the position when it has become
disorganised.

Games are adjourned only in games in the British Championship Title Match
with a Referee present. The Referee is responsible for supervising the recording
of the sealed move, for recording the number of captured stones and the times on
the clocks of each player and for holding the sealed move during the
adjournment.

The match for the title of British Go Champion will be the best of five games
between the players placed first and second in the Challengers’ League. Once one
player has won three games any remaining games need not be played.

Games will be scheduled in advance by the Championships’ Organiser to
facilitate publicity and attendance.

Should either of the eligible players be unable or unwilling to complete the
match according to the schedule specified by the Championships’ Organiser, the
BGA Council will take action as it sees fit.

The BGA Council will award prizes for Champion, loser in the Title Match and
other places in the Challengers’ League at their discretion, taking account of
the availability of sponsorship money and other funds. Prizes will be announced
in advance of the Candidates’ Tournament.

All games in the Title Match will be played in the presence of a Referee. The
Referee will be appointed by the Championships’ Organiser.

The duties of the Referee include:

checking that both players are familiar with the time limits and other
match arrangements;

supervising nigiri (if the first game of the match) or checking that
players have the appropriate colour (for second or subsequent games);

ensuring that the playing sessions and breaks occur as agreed;

supervising any adjournment of the game (for example over lunch);

ensuring that the complete game is recorded.

At each match game the Referee has discretion on the handling of the game.
This includes powers to:

award a time penalty against a late player of twice the time after the
agreed starting time;

recommend postponement or forfeit of the game, or other sanctions as they
see appropriate, to the BGA Council through the Championships’ Organiser in
the case of unjustified late arrival or non-arrival or other breaches of the
rules.

The time limits for the Title Match will be 180 minutes each, with overtime
of 10 plays in 10 minutes.

British Championship Title Match games normally have sessions of two to three
hours with adjournments for lunch and tea. It is the responsibility of the
Referee to arrange these breaks if they are taken.

Arrangements for the Title Match are the responsibility of the Championships’
Organiser, reporting to the BGA Council.

The Championships’ Organiser should publish potential match dates and
locations at the same time as the Candidates’ Tournament and Challengers’ League
dates are published. The final dates should be agreed with the players within three
weeks of the Challengers’ League and published in the subsequent newsletter.
Games must be held by the end of the calendar year.

The Championships’ Organiser must ensure that the venue for each game is
appropriate. Games should be played in a neutral venue at which spectators are
welcome.

The League will be an eight player all-play-all to be held over four
consecutive days. This will usually be the late May bank holiday weekend, Friday to
Monday, unless the period from the Tuesday before until the Wednesday after the weekend
coincides withe the dates of the WAGC including its scheduled travelling days. Otherwise a
different weekend will be agreed by the Championship Organiser and Council and and announced
on the BGA web site as soon as possible after the dates of the WAGC are announced.

Two games will be played on each of the first three days. The seventh game
will be played on the morning of the fourth day. Players are required to be
available for the afternoon of the fourth day for any play-offs that are needed
to finalise the results of the League.

The Champion from the previous year
retains a place as of right in the Challengers’ League. Also the UK representative at the
WAGC also gets a place automatically if (but only if) the dates of the WAGC make it impossible to attend
both the WAGC and the Candidates’ Tournament. The remaining
six or seven places are filled from the best placed players from the Candidates’
Tournament.

Should any of these prove subsequently unable to play in the League, further
players from the Candidates’ Tournament may be invited to participate as
required. Qualified players must confirm their intention to play by the date
specified by the Championships’ Organiser.

A final ranking is determined by ordering players in decreasing number of
wins. Where players are tied on the same number of wins they are first ranked
according to the qualifying ranking for that year’s League as described below.
If players ranked 2 and 3 in this ranking have the same number of wins they will
play-off to determine their final position.

The qualification ranking is defined as the previous Champion, then the WAGC player (if they
did not play the Candidates’), and
then those who qualified in the Candidates’ Tournament (in order of
qualification).

The Referee has discretion on the handling of the League. This includes
powers:

to award a time penalty against a late player of twice the time after the
agreed starting time;

to recommend to the BGA Council through the Championships’ Organiser
disqualification from the League, or other sanctions as they see appropriate,
in the case of unjustified late arrival or non-arrival or other breaches of
the rules.

Qualification for the Candidates’ Tournament will be from playing all rounds in a
tournament in the preceding calendar year and achieving an EGF rating of 1900 or higher thereafter. For the avoidance of
doubt the London Open is the last qualifying event in the year.

Please note that deliberately entering an event at too high a grade just to get a 1900 rating will not be tolerated.

The BGA Council has the discretion to allow participation of other players in
exceptional circumstances.

In addition to the above there shall be one reserve place made available to be
activated only if there would otherwise be an odd number of players
participating. If the position is activated, this player
shall be treated as if they had qualified in their own right. The
Championships’ Organiser shall be responsible for allocating this place.

Arrangements for the Tournament are the responsibility of the Championships’
Organiser, reporting to the BGA Council.

The Championships’ Organiser should publish the Tournament dates and location
by 1 November of the relevant year.

The Championships’ Organiser must ensure that the venue for the Tournament is
appropriate. Games should be played in a neutral venue at which spectators are
welcome.

The Championships’ Organiser shall ensure that full information on the event is available
at least two months before the date of the tournament.
This information may include a closing date for entries, such a date to be not
more than three weeks before the date of the Tournament.

Players wishing to enter the Candidates’ Tournament should determine for themselves
if they qualify, as personal invitations will not be issued, although the Championships
Organiser may consulted for advice about qualifying.

Light refreshments should be available for the players and the Referee.

The Championships’ Organiser should appoint a suitable Referee for the
Tournament and ensure that they are familiar with the Tournament
Rules.

The Championships’ Organiser may disqualify players from the Tournament in the case
of unjustified late arrival, non-arrival or entry after the closing date. Any
player so disqualified shall have the right of appeal to the BGA Council.

The Championship will be open to teams of one male and one female. Both
members of a pair must be BGA members and holders of a British passport, or be
eligible to hold a British passport.

When more than eight teams meet the above criteria, the top eight will be
selected to play on the basis of the mean of the team members’ recognised
tournament grades, with random tie-break (nigiri). Those not selected will be
able to participate in other events run alongside the Championship.

The Championship will normally be held on a single day and be run on any
system determined by the Championships’ Organiser, or at their discretion by the
Event Organiser, to produce an overall Youth
Champion.

The Championship will also produce winners in age categories under-18,
under-16, under-14, under-12, under-10 and under-8. Players will be entered in
the youngest possible age group according to their age on the previous 31st
August.

The Team Championship shall be run once each academic year and be open to
teams of three UK-based youth players from the same BGA-affiliated school or
youth Go club. An appropriate tournament system shall be determined by the Event
Organiser, with regard to the number of teams competing. This competition may be
run as part of the Youth Championships.

The overall Youth Championship will be open to players aged under 18 on the
previous 31st August and who hold, or are eligible to hold, a British
passport.

The age-group championships will be open to players in the designated age
bands (see Rule G.2 who:-

satisfy the criterion in the previous paragraph; or

have been resident in the UK for the five calendar years prior to the year
in which the particular championship is being held, with no continuous absence
exceeding six months; or

have been playing Go in the UK since they were weaker than 20-kyu, with no
continuous absence exceeding six months since then.

Resident youths of other nationalities may play in the handicap section of
the event, but not in the title sections. All players must be members of the
BGA, or of a BGA-affiliated school or youth Go club.

Arrangements for the Championship are the responsibility of the
Championships’ Organiser and the Event Organiser in that year.

The Championships’ Organiser should ensure that the Championship date and
location are published well in advance of the event and notified to all youth
clubs affiliated to the BGA. They should ensure that the venue is
appropriate.

The Championships’ Organiser should appoint a suitable Referee and ensure
they are familiar with the Championship rules.

This points system is used as a guide for selection of the British player in
the World Amateur Go Championship.

Points are awarded to players in the Challengers’ League and the British
Championship Title Match as follows:

the champion

9 WAQ points

1st in Challengers’ League (if not champion)

8 WAQ points

2nd in Challengers’ League (if not champion)

7 WAQ points

3rd in Challengers’ League

6 WAQ points

4th in Challengers’ League

5 WAQ points

5th in Challengers’ League

4 WAQ points

6th in Challengers’ League

3 WAQ points

7th in Challengers’ League

2 WAQ points

8th in Challengers’ League

1 WAQ points

Except that: if there are players on an equal number of wins at the end of
round seven of the Challengers’ League, then the points for those league places
are shared equally between the league places concerned.

A player taking part in the World Amateur Go Championship has their points
reset to zero and this happens before any points for that year are
awarded.

This points system is used as a guide for selection of British
representatives in international Women’s Amateur Go events, such as have been
held in Japan and South Korea.

The current system is that WWAQ points will be awarded to women competing in
the British Open, held at the British Go Congress. Points will be given
according to final ranking by McMahon score, with players tied by that score
sharing the points assigned to the places. Up to eight players will be awarded
points, with 8 points being given to the top player, 7 to the second player and
so on with a decrement of one point each place.

A player taking part in the Women’s World Amateur Go Championship (or
equivalent) has her points reset to zero.

The points systems described in H1 to H4 may be used as guidelines when
selecting representatives for other international events, as alternatives to the
rankings from the most recent British Championships.